South Korea said to open cartel probe into Teo Siong Seng’s Singamas and other container makers

[SINGAPORE] The South Korean anti-competition watchdog is said to have opened an investigation into Singapore shipping veteran Teo Siong Seng’s Singamas Container and three other container makers over their alleged price-fixing conduct.

The Korea Economic Daily Global reported Tuesday (Jul 7) that the Korea Fair Trade Commission is probing some of the world’s largest container makers after the companies were charged by the United States with conspiring to restrict output and inflating prices of the steel boxes used for ocean shipping during the pandemic.

The authority is investigating whether Singamas and three Chinese companies China International Marine Containers (CIMC), Shanghai Universal Logistics Equipment and CXIC Group Containers breached South Korean competition law.